Treatment For ADHD
The most effective treatments for adding are medication and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). Medications can include stimulants like methylphenidate and amphetamine, and non-stimulants like atomoxetine and viloxazine, guanfacine, and clonidine.
Stimulant medication should not be used in patients who have active substance abuse problems but they are an option for those who are in stable in remission. Combination therapy with antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) is also an option.
Stimulants
Stimulants boost the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine that are released between brain synapses. This improves concentration and reduces the intensity of impulses and hyperactivity. Most doctors prescribe stimulant drugs to treat ADHD. They might prescribe methylphenidate (Concerta or Ritalin), or amphetamines. They are both similar medications. The type of medicine prescribed depends on the biochemistry of each individual and how they respond to it. It could take up to seven days for full effects of a drug to become apparent. Improvements in concentration, improved memory, better sleep and a decrease in impulsivity are all signs that the medicine is working.
Some of the side effects include decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping, and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Patients with medical conditions, like heart disease or high blood pressure, should not use these medications. Stimulants are tightly controlled drugs that are prone to misuse. Only psychiatrists, paediatricians or neurologists, and in certain circumstances general practitioners can prescribe them. They can be found in the form of pills or tablets, a patch that goes on the skin, or in liquids.
Children and adolescents who use stimulants often suffer from weight loss and eating disorders. When adhd treatment adults is too high, they may also develop the tics. In this situation the doctor will decrease the dose to prevent the symptoms from getting worse.
About adhd treatment for adults to 80 percent of children and adults suffering from ADHD are treated with stimulant medication. The majority of children and adolescents report that their symptoms improve after being treated. This is especially the case for children who have teachers, parents, or carers who can be able to report improvements.
Early use of stimulants could reduce the risk of developing addiction disorders later in life. Wilens and colleagues79,80 Katusic as well as colleagues81,82 and Biederman et al83 found that treatment with stimulants reduces the risk of developing substance abuse disorders during adolescence, however the protective effect diminishes by early adulthood.